Suffer first loss, Pick Up Win

Angeline Quiocho hit three home runs during the two games. (Photo by Mark Philbrick/BYU Photo)

LAS -- The BYU women's softball team split two games at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic on a windy Friday, when they fell to No. 9 Oklahoma, 8-5, and defeated Missouri, 4-0, to improve to a 7-1 record.

"It was difficult to play in the incredibly windy conditions," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "Oklahoma is a very good team, but we let the game get away from us. I was proud of our team for fighting hard, and we showed we can play with any team in the country."

Sophomore Angeline Quiocho put up three home runs during the Cougars two games, marking her seventh home run in a four-game stretch. She went 4-for-6 on the day and now leads he Cougars with a .600 batting average.

Sophomore pitcher Christie Zinanti became the first Cougar to record a loss this season. She gave up five earned runs and seven runs total, before she was relieved by Christina Gywn Trice in the fifth inning. BYU had three errors during the game, all which proved to be costly for the Cougs.

Oklahoma came out early, scoring their first run in the top of the first inning. BYU answered back in the second inning when Quiocho hit a solo homer to left field to tie the score at 1-1.

Oklahoma broke the tie quickly when they scored two runs in the third inning and four additional runs in the fourth inning, including a two run homer.

BYU rallied to come back against the Sooners in the bottom of the fourth when both Quiocho and Amanda Vance scored. The Cougs loaded the bases with two outs, but Oklahoma pitcher D.J. Mathis struck out Emi Snow Willing to end the rally.

Gwyn Trice came in during the fifth inning and gave up one unearned run and then held Oklahoma scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Quiocho hit a solo shot over the right field wall in the fifth inning to make the score 8-4.

The Cougars had two runners on in the seventh inning when Oklahoma intentionally walked Quiocho to load the bases. Cahschjen Davis was hit by a pitch and Jessica Purcell advanced to home for BYU's final run of the game.

Gwyn Trice recorded her second win of the season with a one-hitter performance against Missouri. She struck out nine batters and walked three.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the seventh inning when Quiocho hit a two-run home run to left-center. Both Vance and Stephanie Platt Hopkins hit singles to get on base, and they both scored off of a single from Monica Gonzales and a throwing error from the Missouri third baseman.

The big inning gave the Cougars a 4-0 lead. Gwyn Trice followed the performance by retiring three straight Missouri batters to end the game.

The Cougars play again on Saturday against Kansas and San Jose State at 9 a.m. and noon PST, respectively. Live stats for the Kansas game are available at www.byucougars.com.